A Life For A Life
by allthingsmagical
Summary: It is Arthur's wedding day, he has just married the love of his life and he still can't believe the happiest day of his life all started from one of the saddest days of his life.


_**I don't own Merlin sadly. It belongs to the BBC.**_

 _ **Just something I thought of. Hope you like it.**_

 _ **Summary: It is Arthur's wedding day, he has just married the love of his life and he still can't believe the happiest day of his life all started from one of the saddest days of his life.**_

 _ **Warning: AU, malexmale.**_

 _ **I apologise in advance for any mistakes I may have made :D**_

* * *

Ygraine and Hunith hurried out of the church dragging their laughing husbands with them. "Here." Ygraine and Hunith said in unison as they shoved cameras into their hands.

"Stand back and take pictures." Hunith said.

Just then Arthur and Merlin came walking out of the church arm in arm and laughing as confetti got thrown over them and blinked a few times when they got several flashes from the cameras that Balinor and Uther had.

Arthur leaned over and whispered in Merlin's ear. "Smile gorgeous." he said before kissing the lobe.

Merlin hummed as he turned to face his now, husband. "I just married the love of my life I am always going to be smiling,"

Arthur laughed and kissed Merlin hard, dipping him when he saw the flashing of cameras get faster.

The photographer cleared his throat and walked out of the church and past the happy couple. "Can we all get together now so I can take some from outside the church? How about just the husband's first." he said.

After a few photos the photographer looked around. "How about now we have Merlin and Arthur's parents."

Merlin and Uther stepped forwards. Arthur looked around, "where's mother?"

Merlin looked around before spotting Ygraine. He walked over and placed his hand on his husband's arm. "Arthur..."

Arthur looked where Merlin was looking and saw his mother stood in front of a gravestone down a small hill. "I will go."

"No Arthur, I will. Have some more photos taken how about you and my parents." Merlin said, smiling, giving Arthur a small kiss before heading down to Ygraine.

Merlin quietly walked down to Ygraine and stopped a few feet behind her as she was talking.

Ygraine sighed. "If only you could see Arthur now Tristan, he has settled down he is now married, I am so happy Tristan, I didn't think I could be this happy again. It is strange how the happiest day of Arthur's life started on the second saddest day of his life which was the day we buried you..."

* * *

 _ **Two years ago...**_

A woman who was sat in a chair by the window looking out to watch passers by was surprised to see her husband pull up and jump out of the car, leaving the car door wide open as he ran to the house, she turned to face the doorway and only had to wait a few seconds before her out of breath husband came into vision. "What is the rush about?"

"How are you feeling today love?" he asked as he knelt in front of his wife who looked as though she has had better days.

"I am alright. Why?"

"Feeling up to having an operation?"

The woman's face lit up. "A donor?"

The man smiled. "Yes love. I just finished operating and Alex came up to me and told me. Someone died this morning love, he was carrying a donor card, you are a match, I have come to take you in."

* * *

Arthur fastened his tie in the mirror and sighed, he ran his hand through his hair when he heard his mother crying in the next room, today they would be saying their final goodbyes to his Uncle Tristan. His mum's brother had died in a car accident two weeks previous and she had hardly spoken since, she still had her other brother Agravaine but it was clear he was always the third wheel, she had a brother she hardly saw or got on with and a brother she was so close with and she lost the one she was always so close with.

Arthur left his room to comfort his mum and saw his dad holding her tight with her crying on his shoulder, looking across he saw his sister Morgana upset so he went and comforted her as his dad did his mum.

* * *

Merlin stood outside the church and watched as they carried the coffin in followed by a woman with long blonde hair and a man holding her, kissing her temple which told Merlin that must be her husband, two more younger people followed, they were about Merlin's age. Merlin watched them all, he read in the paper that the funeral of Tristan Du Bois would be today at this time and his immediate family was sister Ygraine Pendragon his brother in law Uther Pendragon and his niece and nephew who the deceased always looked on as his own children. So that must be Arthur and Morgana.

When they had all gone into the church Merlin decided to look at all the flowers and read the cards, he picked up a two page leaflet that told you of the service and what order it would go in, he looked at the front of the leaflet and it showed you a picture of a man who Merlin guessed to be Tristan, he winced, the man looked to be only the same age as his parents.

* * *

Arthur was the last one to throw some soil on top of his Uncle's coffin and kissed his mum on the cheek before going to hug his sister who was crying. Holding her close Arthur looked around his family and frowned when he saw a man on his own in a suit who stood watching them all around the graveside. The man seeing he was spotted turned and walked back up the hill.

Arthur looked over to his dad. "Father, has everyone turned up? No one has said they couldn't make it or said they would be late did they?"

"No son, everyone made it except for Agravaine as he is abroad, you know him, he won't cut his holiday short for nothing. Why?"

"Just asking."

* * *

Merlin closed the front door behind him and came face to face with his his dad. "Is mum alright?"

"She is fine son. Recovering well. Please don't tell me you went to that funeral today."

"Okay I won't tell you."

Balinor sighed. "Merlin you weren't supposed to know the name of whose heart your mum had, I risked my job finding out that name for you, you promised me you wouldn't do anything."

"And I haven't, all I did was look at the flowers and read the cards and watched from a distance as they lowered him into the ground."

"Lowered hi- were you seen?"

"I wasn't there long."

"Merlin. Were. You. Seen?"

"Tristan's nephew Arthur saw me but as I was stood near a grave he probably thought I was a visiting relative."

Balinor sighed. "Go and see your mother and Merlin, do not go there again, that grave will be visited a lot."

"Yes dad." Merlin said as he made his way upstairs to see his mum.

* * *

It had been a month since Tristan had been buried and every week Ygraine had gone to the grave on a Saturday morning and had taken flowers and sat and talked to her brother.

One Friday evening Arthur decided to take some flowers to place on the grave, knowing when his mum came the next morning she would sort them out as she always kept the grave and headstone clean.

Arthur placed some flowers down and noticed a small bunch of flowers, he picked them up and read the small card inside, it said only two words _'Thank you'_ Arthur frowned who would place flowers here thanking his Uncle. Thanking him for what? For dying?

He took his phone out of his pocket and rang his mum.

" _Arthur?"_

"Mum you come to Uncle Tristan's grave every week, what do you see on the grave? Any extra flowers or anything?"

" _Sometimes, but I don't know who as they never leave a card."_

Arthur scrunched the thank you card up in his hand. "I have just placed some flowers there so I will leave you to sort them."

" _Thank you love. I am on my way there actually as I can't make it tomorrow. Your dad is taking me away for a few days tomorrow."_

Arthur smiled. "It will do you good mum, tell you what, when you come next Saturday I will come with you." he said before saying bye and hanging up. He sighed as he looked at his Uncle's grave. "Who is thanking you Uncle?"

* * *

Over the next week Arthur had gone to his Uncle's grave a few times to just check and another bunch of flowers had been placed there. Just who was doing this? Something he was determined to find out.

When Saturday came Arthur pulled up and picked his mum up from her house and drove them both there. "It's kind of you to bring me Arthur."

Arthur smiled as he pulled up and got out of the car, going around to open the car door for his mum. "Don't be silly mum, I like to come up here, I don't talk a lot to him like you do but I do sit and keep him company."

Ygraine smiled and placed her hand on her son's cheek. "Such a great son, I know you were his favourite nephew."

Arthur laughed. "He always joked about that, saying I was his favourite nephew. I was his only nephew." he said as he held out his arm for Ygraine to link hers with as they walked to the grave.

Arthur stood so far back and watched as his mum, on her knee, talking to her brother as she sorted out the flowers, telling her brother all about her few days away. He looked up to see someone heading towards them with bunch of flowers in his hand, a small bunch of flowers, much like the ones he found last week. Taking his ray bans off Arthur squinted and saw the man, it was the same man he saw at the funeral.

Merlin knew he shouldn't be doing this but he felt he had to do something, if it wasn't for this man's heart he could have lost his mum as she had been on the waiting list for so long and she wasn't getting any better. He stopped when he saw who he knew to be Arthur looking at him. "Oh crap."

"Hey!" Arthur shouted.

Merlin did the first thing that came to mind. He turned and ran.

Arthur ran after him ignoring his mum shout after him asking him what he was doing. Arthur started to run faster, even though he started to run up hill, as the pathway started to turn Arthur ran straight to try and catch up with him. Coming to a headstone Arthur jumped over it.

"Arthur careful where you land a person is buried there!" Ygraine shouted in a hurry.

Arthur managed to swerve in mid air and land on the grass beside the grave, sighing in relief that he didn't land on the person's grave before running after the man who was still running.

Ygraine slowly walked up the hill after her son with a smile on her face, he still ran across the grass to try and catch up, from a distance it looked as though Arthur was playing hopscotch as he more danced then ran to avoid landing on anyone's graves.

Arthur stopped when he reached the church and saw a vicar come and stand in the doorway. "Father." he panted. "Have you seen a man running this way? Thin man dark hair?"

"I don't know Arthur. I was too busy looking at the collection box for the poor." the vicar sighed as he patted it. "Such a shame with it being so empty."

Arthur looked closely at the vicar before taking out his wallet and placing a few money notes inside the collection box.

"Oh bless you Arthur."

Arthur cleared his throat. "Father please?"

"What do you plan on doing to him?"

"Just asking why he is leaving flowers on my Uncle's grave with thank you cards."

"No violence?"

"None. I promise."

"He is where you go to confess."

Arthur thanked the vicar again and went inside the church and went straight to where you confess, sitting in the part where the vicar sits.

Merlin jumped when he heard someone sit down the other side. "Father?" he asked.

"No." came a voice.

"Oh fu-" Merlin stopped when he remembered where he was. "Fiddle sticks!" he said before jumping up and running, Arthur once again running after him.

Arthur paused for a second before carrying on. "Fiddle sticks?" he asked.

"Can't swear in church!" Merlin shouted over his shoulder.

* * *

Ygraine was just approaching the church when the man her son was chasing came running out quickly followed by Arthur.

"Hello Mrs Pendragon." Merlin called out.

"Hey! How do you know my mother, get back here! I am a footballer I won't get tired in running." he warned as he got to a bench and stood on the top of it before jumping in the air to land on Merlin. "Got you!"

Merlin 'oofed' when he felt a weight on him as he was turned over and looked up at the angry blond who was now straddling his hips.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked, staring down at the man who was still panting, panting and not even answering him. "Answer me, who are you? Why are you putting flowers on my Uncle's grave? Thanking him. How do you know my mother?"

Ygraine caught up with them both and looked down at the man Arthur was sat on and saw him staring back at her. "What is your name dear?"

"Merlin."

Ygraine smiled. "Merlin, such an unusual name. Why were you running?"

"Because your son was chasing me."

"How do you know I am her son?"

"Because you look like her Arthur."

"You even know my name. I saw you at my Uncle's funeral, you have been placing flowers on his grave leaving thank you cards."

"Thank you cards?" Ygraine asked. "Merlin why are you thanking my brother?"

"Tristan carried a donor card." was all Merlin said.

"Yes he did."

"My mother got his heart."

Ygraine gasped and placed her hand on her chest. "She - your mother, she was dying?"

"Slowly yes, but she is recovering now and doing well, I don't think she would be here now today if not for your brother's heart."

"You were just thanking my brother for giving your mother a second chance."

"Yes. I am sorry I meant no harm, I always made sure to come when no one was here I am sorry."

"You will be." Arthur threatened.

Ygraine looked at her son and Merlin and remembered the last few minutes she had left with Tristan, Morgana and Arthur had come to see him before he went and when they left the hospital room he took his sister's hand in his. _"Sort him out won't you, he should be happy, Morgana is lucky she has someone, Arthur is yet to have that someone."_

Ygraine blinked. "Arthur get off Merlin and take him for a drink to say sorry."

Arthur looked up at his mum. "Me say sorry? What for? He is the one who has crept about, watched us from afar."

"Yes, watched us from afar so he knew not to disturb us, he has bought flowers, he has respected our privacy and thanked your Uncle for saving his mother. You are the one who has chased him through a graveyard, jumped over graves only just missing landing on them, scared him out of the church and then jumped on him and pinned him down refusing to let him get up."

Ygraine moved forwards and helped Merlin up. "Thank you for showing how grateful you are, for giving us our privacy. I saw you at the funeral, thank you for staying back and allowing us the time and space we needed. I would like to meet your mother if that is alright?"

"Of course. Mum knows what I am doing but dad doesn't, he risked his job to get your brother's name."

Ygraine smiled. "Good, now then lets all go back to the car." she said as she looked from Merlin to her son. "You can drop me off at home and then take him for a drink to apologise and then get to know him. I mean it Arthur. If you don't I shall know."

Arthur mumbled as he looked from his mother to Merlin, frowning when he saw the brunet smiling. "Wipe that smile off your face." he said as he slowly started to make his way back down to his car.

* * *

 _ **Present day**_

"... and that was it then, Arthur took Merlin for a drink and from then on you never saw one without the other, living together within weeks, Hunith has become my very best friend I really don't know what I would do without her. Balinor and Uther are always off golfing or whatever they do, they say golfing but they have been spotted drinking and watching football matches in pubs." she laughed. "And as for Merlin, well I couldn't have met anyone more perfect for Arthur, they just make a gorgeous couple."

"Thank you." Merlin said.

Ygraine jumped a little and turned and smiled when she saw Merlin stood there. "Been telling Tristan how we all met?"

"I have, he would have been so happy for Arthur, wanted him to settle down, so when I saw Arthur straddling you that day after he chased you I took my chance."

Merlin smiled and hugged Ygraine. "I am glad you did."

Ygraine wiped her tears and took a deep breath. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"Everything is perfect. You are need for the photos... mum."

"Aw, okay son let's get posing for some gorgeous photos."

Merlin smiled and they both started to walk away before Merlin paused and walked back to the headstone, placing his lips upon top. "Thank you." he whispered. "I owe you more than I could ever give."

Ygraine pulled Merlin away and hugged him tight. "Merlin you owe us nothing." she said as she linked her arm in Merlin's and started to walk up to where all the other guests were waiting.

Arthur watched as his mum and his husband approached him, his mother let go of Merlin's arm and smiled at him as she walked past, leaving him and Merlin alone. Arthur looked over his shoulder and watched his mother walk over to his father and receive a hug before looking back at Merlin and held him close. "Everything alright?"

Merlin smiled. "Everything is perfect."

Arthur smiled. "Perfect." he agreed, sealing his agreement with a kiss.

* * *

 _ **The end.**_

 _ **What do you think?**_

 _ **Review? x**_


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